The Prestige…

Abracadabra....

You’d think a rapper would understand the metaphoric implications of Crack Commandment #4; NEVER GET HIGH ON YOUR OWN SUPPLY.

Come on rap stars, you masters of language, cunning linguists, abled alliterators… The lyric is a metaphor. Sure it makes sense literally, but expand your breadth of comprehension and roll with me here. The phrase serves as a metaphor as well, like; never shit where you eat or don’t dip your pen in the company ink. The meaning is simple- keep business and personal separate. Because as they say friends and business are odd bedfellows.

So color me dumfounded by the recent news that hip hop icon Wyclef Jean is being accused of squandering a large portion of the nearly $16 million dollars his YELE Haiti Foundation raised in the wake of the tragic earthquake in Haiti in 2010. In fact, evidence shows the Jean’s organization paid out $1 million to an organization that doesn’t even seem to exist. Large sums were also paid to relatives and friends for services including $250,000 to a Haitian television station co-owned by Jean.

This is not the first time Jean and Yele have come under attack for mismanagement of funds. Just prior to the traumatic events of 2010, the organization was under pressure from the IRS for failure to report it’s earnings and spendings adequately. Additionally many within and around the organization questioned the salary of the organization’s “vice president” who also happened to be Jean’s personal assistant and mistress. Her 2008 salary of $105K (paid out as independent contractor fees for “Program Development”) equates to nearly 1/3 of the organization’s total operating budget for that year!

Let’s be real, the ‘washing of hands’ is an American institution (just ask Dick Cheney and Blackwater). But seriously Wyclef… WHY? I hope the allegations are proved unfounded. But, if they’re true that’s REAL FUCKED UP. I mean if you’re going to smoke your own shit, at least do it at somebody else’s house! The saddest part is that hardworking people donated their money, spirits and time to helping the already struggling and impoverished country of Haiti in the aftermath of devastating natural disasters. There are millions of people still trying to rebuild their lives and here we learn that even their proclaimed heroes are stealing from the people. Someone please call 9-1-1.